The president of the United States, Joe Biden, declared this Thursday a state of catastrophe in the North American archipelago of Hawaii, affected by the fires that devastated a town on the island of Maui and caused the death of at least 36 people.
The head of state’s measure will unlock significant federal aid for the archipelago, stressed the US presidency, in a statement cited by Agence France-Presse (AFP).
The support will finance reconstruction efforts and emergency relief on the island.
Thousands of people are being evacuated from the island of Maui due to the wildfires as emergency crews continue to fight the fires and search for victims.
The most recent balance pointed to 36 deaths.
Authorities urged residents and visitors to evacuate “as quickly as possible” from the island of Maui, given the limited resources to deal with this crisis.
While several Hawaiian islands have been affected, Maui has been hardest hit, with around 11,000 people evacuating on Friday, while at least another 1,500 are expected to leave the island on Thursday.
Airlines are offering low fares to encourage people to leave and arranging new flights from Maui.
The images show completely destroyed areas, especially in towns like Lahaina, a historic town in West Maui and one of the most touristy areas on the island.
“Pretty much the entire city burned down, the entire historic area, homes and businesses,” Air Maui Helicopters COO Richie Olsten told CNN.
The US president had already determined on Wednesday night that the federal media provide aid to the archipelago.
According to the authorities, the severe drought that has affected the islands in recent months and the strong winds from Hurricane Dora have caused the flames to spread much faster.
Source: TSF
